From the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops: Pope Francis recently declared that the Monday immediately following Pentecost is to be celebrated as the "Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mother of the Church." This action emphasizes the central role that Mary and all mothers have in the Church. Keeping in mind the caring role of our Holy Mother, and the crucial place that she has within the life of a family, it is deeply concerning when this relationship is fractured or broken in any fashion.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced Thursday that it had reached a consensual agreement with victim survivors and insurers definitively resolving bankruptcy claims against the Archdiocese. Fr. Griffith shares more about the announcement in this letter.